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Somnia
Somnia is a kingdom in VI that serves as a focal point for the story of the game. Story Dream World ;The Warriors' Trial Somnia is said to be a city that never sleeps, ruled by the brave King Somnus.The King seeks volunteers for his army to defeat the Dread Fiend Murdaw once and for all, but in order to do so, Somnus also seeks Ra's mirror to dispel any illusions that Murdaw has brought forth. The Hero, having proved his mettle, receives an invitation to enlist by way of Weaver's Peak Mayor Spindell, who also has given him the city's entry pass. The Hero then makes for the castle, whereupon Captain Blade tells him and other recruits to retrieve the Restless Heart, a symbol of warriors' strength, from the nearby Gardsbane Tower. Preparing for the trial, the Hero meets Carver, a man possessed of great strength with a fighting spirit. The two head for Gardsbane as competitors in the race for the Heart. While several others cop out, the Hero and Carver reach the heights of the tower, but the Hero strikes first and captures the Heart. When reports of a wild horse terrorizing the countryside emerge, Carver volunteers to go with the Hero in order to subdue the beast. Though nimble, the mare is eventually surrounded and captured. Both men are thus accepted into the Somnian army. Meanwhile, the horse, Peggy Sue, is submitted to the royal wagon master to be bridled and fitted with the royal wagon. Thus do the Hero and Carver become fast friends as fellow soldiers, and so their journey to fight Murdaw continues. ;Unintended deception Having retrieved Ra's mirror in Moonmirror Tower, the Hero, Carver, Milly, and Ashlynn return to Somnia, where the enchanted glass suddenly reacts in the presence of King Somnus, revealing that "he" is in fact Queen Apnea. Apnea collapses, but soon remembers her role in this world as she recovers; just as the heroes are spirits, so too is she, and she seeks to reunite with her husband the King. Yet, no one knows where he is. Apnea suggests the King may be in Murdaw's lair, and volunteers her aid in hopes of recovering him. Making their way to an Underkeep, the heroes battle a spirit Murdaw and defeat him. Under Ra's mirror, however, this Murdaw is revealed to be the missing King Somnus, who thanks the party for saving him and instructs them to go back to the real world for their reward. Real World ;A hopeless battle Some time before the events of the game, King Somnus, Queen Apnea, and a cadre of soldiers make for Murdaw's Keep, but are soon waylaid by Murdaw's forces. Among the soldiers is the Prince of Somnia. While the Prince and his party infiltrate the keep and attempt to battle Murdaw himself, the remainder of the kingdom is placed under a dastardly sleeping curse. The Prince and his party do not return, thus all are presumed dead when, in fact, Murdaw had banished the very spirits of the Prince and his party to the Dream World. In some cases, their bodies were frozen; in others, both spirit and body were left to wander the two worlds bearing no memories save for the battle. ;A son returned? A Somnian shop sells replicas of the royal family's clothing, which the Hero is told may gain him and the party entry into the castle. Donning the garb easily fools the lesser castle guard, leaving the party free to explore. They find both King and Queen still fast asleep, with the queen mumbling about Ra's mirror, here a possible clue to reversing the curse. The Chancellor of the realm, taking charge in lieu of the incapacitated royals, is not fooled, as something seems off about the Prince. Thus he proposes a test, which the Hero fails, and the party is ejected from Somnia Castle. ;Turning point The royals' dream resolved, the party returns to Somnia and is arrested. However, King Somnus recognizes the heroes as the same ones from the nightmare that plagued him and his wife. He releases them, Though he, too, sees the similarity between Hero and Prince and does not believe the Hero is their missing son, he understands that the Hero still has a mission, and permits him to go forward to battle Murdaw. In thanks for dispelling the curse, the Hero receives a lightning staff. ;A prince revealed Some time later, the spirit Hero encounters his real self in Weaver's Peak and soon finds the town overrun with fiends. Both Heroes successfully defend the village; yet without his spirit, the Hero cannot fight the leader of the fiends, and so the two forms agree to merge. The onetime Prince of Somnia regains his true form, plus all prior experiences in his spirit's adventures. With the Hero being the Prince, the party returns to Somnia, where King Somnus and Queen Apnea celebrate, all the while knowing that their son will soon take on a dangerous endeavour. They offer their love and support as the party sets off on the final legs of their quest. Shops Weapon shop Armour shop Item shop Gallery DQVIDS - Somnia - Dream World.png|Somnia's Dream World artwork for the VI DS remake. Etymology Somnia and its king, Somnus, both derive their names from the Latin somnus, "sleep". Its queen, Apnea, is derived from Greek roots meaning "without breathing". Sleep apnea is a treatable medical condition in which a person or an animal ceases to breathe for extended periods of time while in sleep; hence, it may be fatal if not corrected. All of these names, therefore, are fitting with the game's focus on sleep and dreams. Other languages Category:Dragon Quest VI locations